Aromatised wine is a fortified wine infused with bitter and aromatic plants. It typically contains alcohol, sugar, and sometimes caramel coloring, with common varieties including vermouth and resinated wine.
How it is made
Aromatised wines are made by adding bitter and aromatic herbs to fortified wines. Common ingredients include wormwood, chamomile, cocoa beans, cinnamon, orange peel, coriander, thyme, and yarrow. These wines often have an alcohol content of at least 15%.
History
The practice of flavoring wine with spices dates back to ancient times. Among the oldest examples is resina, a Greek wine flavored with pine resin used historically to seal amphorae. In the 19th century, tonic aromatised wines containing quinine bark, such as Lillet, gained popularity.
Types and styles
Vermouth is the most well-known type of aromatised wine. Other styles include resinated wines and aperitif wines called bitters, which are often more bitter than vermouth and flavored with herbs, fruit juices, essential oils, and natural essences.
How it is served
Aromatised wines can be served neat with ice, sometimes diluted with soda. Dry varieties pair well with spirits and are used in aperitif cocktails. Dessert aromatised wines complement non-alcoholic carbonated drinks, beer, milk, and fruit juices. They are featured in cocktails such as Negroni, Manhattan, Americano, and various Martini variations.
Adapted from the Russian Wikipedia article Ароматизированные вина, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Kinds of aromatised wine
- Vermouth (235 cocktails)
Other styles
- Resinated wine